Rite Of Passage
by Kako-Meyame
Summary: Dakota Angeleus is a new full fledge Warrior Priestess at the Hinode Shrine. It's just after her Seijin No Hi she has to go to the store for her mother for grogeries,in full regalia might I add, where a interesting accident lands her in ancient Japan, how will this change the lives of our favorite Inu-tachi? Come and find out. No Pairings,AU
1. Some General Background

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the OC parts of the story a.k.a Hinode Shrine and my character. The other things belong to Rumiko Takahashi. But check at the bottom of the page to be sure, that's where I'll put anything else of import.

**Some General Back-story**

The Hinode Shrine was first created in ancient Japan where it and it's patrons had stay all the way until 1908 when the first Japanese immigrant moved across the ocean to America. Well since most of the Hinode Shrine's patrons had mostly immigrated into the America's they decide to transport themselves to America as well. Good for business you know, well any who they dug up their Goshinboku Tree and replanted it in the cool fresh soil in the Appalation Mountains where they used the surrounding trees on their plot of land to build the shrine and the house and all the other buildings on the shrine compound.

Over time the strictly Japanese marriages were transferred to anyone you fall in love with, you could marry but on the premises that you, on their eighteenth birthday whether or not they become Warrior Priest or Priestess they get a new Japanese name so that the children and grand children and other future generations will never forget their roots. Though they can decide to change their new name legally or not, but on the compound they have to be addressed as either Priestess (new name) or Warrior Priestess (new name).

Since most of the patrons are still largely Japanese the Hinode Shrine speaks in Japanese and English also so that they can remember their roots.


	2. Seijin No Hi

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the OC parts of the story a.k.a Hinode Shrine and my character. The other things belong to Rumiko Takahashi. But check at the bottom of the page to be sure, that's where I'll put anything else of import.

**Seijin No Hi **

Before the sun had even rose that day, Dakota Angeleus had already been up for more than an hour already. With the help of her mother, one Alexis Angeleus, Dakota got ready with not a word spoken between mother and daughter; not because of any misunderstands between them but on ceremony. You see, for today was a very special day at the Hinode shrine, because a child of the shrine will become a Warrior Prestess on this day. As tradition mandates, not a word must be spoken until the sun rises on this day, twenty-four hours from the last sunrise of Dakota's childhood.

As Alexis was tying the last knot of the leather training armor for her daughter a small, proud smile lighted upon her face, thoughts of her own Seijin No Hi flouting through her mind. It had been the proudest moment of her life when her mother had helped her put on her own training armor and fixing her hair, with it's ornate braids forming a circlet around her head and the rest tied in the ancient style of the topknot. Oh yes, Alexis could well remember getting dressed in the purple hakamas that denotes the apprenticeships of all miko's in training with the white kimono styled top. And now her youngest girl was going to be recognized as an adult on this day.

Alexis dabbed at her eyes with the clothe handkerchief before hastily storing it away in her own ceremonial clothing of the Warrior Prestess, looking beautiful in her dark green full length over kimono, effectively hiding her own Mistress-at-Arms armor, as Dakota turned around to collect her practice sword. Alexis then held out Dakota's staff for her to grab before the two silently made their way out of Dakota's room to meet up with Daniel Angeleus, Dakota's father, along with the rest of her family waiting in the entrance hall. The six then made their way to the Main Shrine and respectively entered into the incensed room.

After they all had entered and moved to the front of the room, Dakota and Tobias kneeled with heads bowed in respect while Lela and Connie ,as well as the other Warrior Priest and Priestess bowed just their heads in a show of respect. The High Priest and Priestess were very intimidating standing on the high dais standing above all with their hair done in ceremonial topknots quite unlike any other in the room was currently sporting. Ten minutes before the dawn would be upon Dakota and her family, at an unseen signal music began to play from the shadows starting off soft and slow but gaining speed and substance as the approaching dawn crept nearer.

The music crescendo and stopped suddenly as the first pearly light began to make its way into the room, and in the deafening silence the High Duo spoke, " Today on this most auspicious of days one of our miko- in -training will become a miko in full. Rise Dakota Angeleus," at this Dakota stood from her kneeling position on the floor as everyone else raised their heads, " To become a Warrior Priestess you must first know your honors and duties and they are thus:

The High Priestess stepped forward at the end of the speech, " Do you Dakota promise to protect the innocent, the weak, and the young wherever you may go," and in a seamless continuation not giving Dakota time to answer, the High Priest stepped forward as the High Priestess stepped back, " Do you Dakota promise to fight for what is right and just of the world and never to turn your back on it," and again the seamless shift, "Do you Dakota Promise to put the protection of the people and property of Hinode Shrine unless interfered with by the Gods, Fate, Destiny, or the Powers That Be for all time," shift, " Do you Dakota Promise to love and respect all of the worlds creatures, no matter the race, species, or gender of said creature for all time," shift, " … promise to only attack in defense of self , liberty, property, or those that can't defend themselves…," shift back the High Priest, " … promise to heal all wounds to the best of your abilities, be they friend or foe, and teach all who wish to listen for all time." the High Priest finally finished listing the honors and duties of becoming a Warrior Priestess.

Then together the holy High Duo repeat, " Do you Dakota promise to uphold these most highest of honors and duties," Dakota in a firm and clear voice says for all to hear, " Yes I , Dakota, promise to uphold these most highest of honors and duties for all time."

The holy High Duo gave more instructions for Dakota to let her hair down from the apprentice's knot, which was harder than most would think what with all the braids interwove with in the actual topknot.

After Dakota had reverently undone the knot, she removed the sword and said, " I return to you the training sword that has taught me honor and defense so that it may be passed down to future generations and teach them all that it has taught me," with that Dakota presented the sword to the High Priestess, with head bowed, who in turn presented it to the High Priest so that he may place it on the wall.

" I return to you the staff of the miko in training that has taught me how to harness my spiritual powers and know mercy, so that it may be passed down the generations so that it may teach them what it has taught me," Dakota said while presenting the staff two-handed to the High Priestess who gave it to the High Priest who placed it against the wall on the opposite side of the manikin from the practice sword.

" I return to you the leather training armor that has served me well in all my training endeavors, and has taught me about the importance of being prepared and taking means to protect oneself from harm so that it may hang in a place of honor so that I may one day pass it down to my first child so that it will serve them just as well," at this part of the ceremony Daniel moved over to help his daughter remove the trickier leather ties so that she could present it to the High Priestess. Who then gives it to the High Priest to drape atop the manikin.

" I return to you the clothes of an apprentice miko that has taught me humility and the importance of hard work, it has served me well over the past ten years and may it be worn proudly by my first born child," Dakota removed the top haori and folded it neatly, at this point Tobias raises his hands up to hold the haori, then she removed the hakamas and folded them neatly as well then placed them atop the haori then take the whole package from Tobias and present them to the High Priestess who instead of giving them to the High Priest placed them in the hands of Lela who in turn placed them within an airtight bag and passed them to Connie.

Then The High Priest places another set of clothes that looked like finer quality material, " I give to you the clothes of the Warrior Priestess so that all may see that you have completed your training to become a Warrior Priestess," Dakota puts first the deep red hakamas on that are a little tighter then traditional miko robes then the haori that was a bright white then removed the geta's and replace them with the soft leather boots with the thin soles that allowed swift travel and if you happen to be walking on the forest ground within the compound then it would leave hardly distinguishable footprints.

" I give to you armor so that you may be defended from all who may oppose you," The High Priest gives the armor to Tobias so he could hold it while Dakota put it on this time without help from either parent. First the thin metal breastplate that buckles on either side then the metallic strips that bind together to make a multi metal sheeted skirt that nearly wraps around her waist twice. Then she buckled on the gauntlets and shin guards and ties a metal throat guard that had a soft piece of cloth on the inside to stop chafing.

" I give to you a sword so that you may be able to protect those that need or request it," At this the High Priest takes from a velvet pillow an ancient katana with a simple leather hilt and a wooden sheath that had the Hinode crest on it, which is a sword and arrow crossed brunt into the wood then gone over with black paint, Dakota takes it with a bow before placing it on her hip.

" Last but not least I give to you this bow and arrow so that you may hunt and purify evil even from a distance," The High Priest takes from a blue velvet pillow a beautiful yew bow with a lightly tanned leather quiver filled with white-fletched arrows. Again burnt into the leather was the Hinode Shrine crest but gone over in white instead of black.

Then the High Priestess motions Dakota forward. Dakota steps up onto the high dais and bow and as she does so two roughly similar in size chunk of hair falls to either side of her face with the withered hands of the High Priestess begins to braid them. After that is done, she has Dakota stand up and turn around, she then proceeds to twist and wrap the whole length of Dakota's hair, all four feet of it, into an intricate bun then sticks a pair of chopsticks into it to keep it up then she uses a pair of element clips to pin the two braid on either side of the bun. Element clips are a pair of hair clips that when placed into the hair of a fully recognized Hinode Shrine Maiden Warrior that it will change into one of five colors green for Earth, red for Fire, blue for Water, white for Air, and pink for Spirit based on your personality.

"With these items you are now recognized as a fully fledges member of Hinode Shrine, may you do us proud. And now by the Powers invested in us by our ancestors before us we give to you the right to heal, fight, and protect in line of the most high honors and duties, on your own violations so we say so it shall be" the holy High Duo said this last together and then placed their thumbs onto Dakota's forehead. A thick blue mist that was the color of the cleanest flame surrounds Dakota flickering like a single flame then it condenses around her before finally sinking into Dakota and sparkling where the once clear element clips laid it was filled with the darkest red like a ruby. And with that everyone files out of the room in an orderly way with the holy High Duo leading and Dakota taking up the rear. As soon as Dakota made it past the doors a great cheering went up.

" Happy Eighteenth Birthday Dakota!" Everyone shouted at once and then the party really got started. Everyone from distant cousins to shrine patrons joined in on the festivities and all day from the time that Dakota stepped out of the Main Shrine until lunch time gave Dakota little trinket of luck, packet of herbs that would be useful, and weapon care supplies for her birthday since she already received the really big gifts of the day.

As soon as the sun was at its zenith the holy High Duo called everyone's attention the giant tree in the middle of the compound. As everyone gathered around everybody was whispering in quiet little groups wondering what they were about to witness. The holy High Duo were standing just under the sweeping branches of the tree being cast in shade and looking quite important to all who were gathered. Everyone had turned out in their best traditional kimonos and other wear such wear since this was a traditional ceremony and all.

Then the High Priest hold his hand up for silence and everyone quieted, " Newest Warrior Priestess step forth it is time to take your new name," Dakota stepped up from the crowd and bowed her head to the holy High Duo. They in turn produce a single red full length kimono like that of her mother's and they helped her put it on. The High Priest then had Dakota turn around and he tied her obi around her in an intricate knot that looked like a flame almost.

Then he placed his hands on her shoulders and said for all to hear, " I give you Warrior Priestess Hiakari, may she forever light our way to a brighter future," everyone started clapping excitedly and as the clapping quieted down two long lunch tables were brought out and then a lot of food followed and everyone sat down the eat.

After everyone had ate to their fill, Alexis and Daniel brought out a huge chocolate cake that looked like an eighteen with a single candle in the middle of each number. After everyone had sang Happy Birthday and Dakota blew out the candles everyone was served a piece. There was dancing and laughing and general merrymaking all around and as the sun started dipping down under the horizon and with a last happy birthday wish everyone left and the day ended … or so everyone thought.


End file.
